


Other People’s Heartache

by orphan_account



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Act 5 spoilers, Angst, August says gay rights, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Inspired by the new anime episode, M/M, This starts with so much fluff, and then
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:00:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24027796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The office didn’t notice. Chikage would still pretend. Still smile and bow, a more talented actor than Itaru would ever be.His smiles aren’t genuine anymore, like all gentle fondness was stolen from him, and replaced with smiles that felt like daggers.
Relationships: August & Mikage Hisoka & Utsuki Chikage, Chigasaki Itaru/Utsuki Chikage
Comments: 6
Kudos: 86





	Other People’s Heartache

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly all I could think about in Chikage’s anime cameo was how August was alive at that point. And how he must have been so genuinely happy at that point and how differently he would have acted after the incident? So here you go, take a quick drabble about it.

“Good evening Chigasaki.” Chikage said with a genuine smile. His shoulders were relaxed as he raised a hand to bid his junior farewell. 

“Ah, good evening Senpai.” Itaru returned, before the pair got in their respective cars, and drove their opposite ways. 

Chikage couldn’t understand why he liked that Chigasaki so much. There was nothing special about him, but he radiated a warmth that Chikage enjoyed finding himself around at work. 

Perhaps he reminded him of August, with the same two toned hair and sweeping bangs. The unusually vibrant eyes. Maybe he provided him with a comfort similar to how August did. 

He wouldn’t allow either of them to know that however. 

April opened the door, and walked inside the grey building. 

“I’m home.” He called out, and pulled the uncomfortable work blazer from his shoulders, hanging it next to their mission coats for the time being. 

“Welcome back!” August appeared with a fond smile. His hair was pushed back behind his ears, and he wore his apron that indicated he was cooking again. 

“Can I smell burning?” April asked curiously. 

“ _Fuck.._ _and I only left it for a minute...”_ He cursed under his breath, earning a raised eyebrow from the younger. 

“Ah! Don’t repeat that word!” He said as he ran back into the kitchen. 

“August I’m 25…” He mumbled before leaving the room to change into more comfortable clothes. 

When he returned to the main room, December was dozing on the couch to no surprise at all. 

“I’m home.” He prodded the sleeping lump, who grunted softly. 

“I can hear that…”

April rolled his eyes. “Of course. Why should I expect a friendly greeting from the likes of you?” He said, and shifted the man slightly so he could seat himself beside him. He pulled his laptop from the table and began to read through updates from the day. 

“I see you didn’t fall asleep on your mission today?” He asked, knowing full well December could hear him, and would reply if he wished to.

“No. You know I don't do that anymore…” He mumbled with his eyes still shut.

“Good. It would be a problem for us if you did.” 

December huffed. “I’m glad you care about me.” He spoke sarcastically, almost as if he didn’t believe April cared at all.

“What? Of course I do. You’re just annoying.”

“Dinner is ready!” August called, interrupting the two from wherever that conversation would go. “I care about you a lot…” He added quietly, and dragged December, still half asleep from the couch.

—  
  


They’d finished eating. The meal had tasted slightly like charcoal, but the three were used to it now, for better or for worse. August’s cooking wasn’t improving anytime soon. 

They sat on the couch, too small for three. It worked if two sat, and December lay lazily with his head in August’s lap, and his legs layed out over April’s own. August seemed more interested in the show than he was, as he only sat allowing himself to relax with his family after the long hours of their jobs. 

“We’re interviewing the members of Mankai Theatre company today!” The woman’s voice explained, before cutting to various actors. Their displays seemed rather unprofessional, slightly cringeworthy and uninteresting until he saw someone he never expected to see. 

Itaru spoke something or other of being an all male troupe, which would appeal to a female audience. April rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the smile that formed at the familiar face. 

“Oh? What’re you grinning about?” August asked, his own humoured grin, fondly embarrassing as ever. 

“He’s someone I know from work is all.” April explained. 

“Oh I see!” 

“Hm.. He’s a total otaku, though he tries to hide it with that ridiculous princely facade. He probably couldn’t run a mile to save his life.” April huffed. 

“I wonder why he decided to join a theatre troupe...” 

“You seem to be very fond of him!” August commented. 

“Ah. He’s my Junior, I see him around a lot is all.”

“He’s very handsome! Is that really the only reason you’re so fond of him?” August winked infuriatingly. 

“Stop talking.” 

“Aw. Young love. Very cute April!” August laughed and ruffled his hair like he were still a child. April scrunched his face and leant away.

“Think whatever you want. It’s certainly not true.” 

August continued to giggle like a gossipy teenager. His silly teasing was something that was so infuriating to him, and yet he didn’t know what he’d do without that sweet laughter that seemed to swallow whole rooms in it’s warmth. 

“You’re loud..” December finally complained. 

“Oh dear me. Sorry December!” He apologised like always, and then bent down to his ear, whispering in a volume too loud to be secretive. “Did you hear April has a crush on his co-worker?” August laughed again. 

“Gross.” December muttered. 

“What a shame! You shouldn’t say such mean things about April’s love!” He said, ruffling his hair affectionately. 

“Can we stop this game already?” April asked in exasperation at August’s charade. 

“Fine fine.” He smiled. “But I’m glad you have friends in that place. I don’t want you to feel lonely.”

“I suppose so.”

“Mm! Is it nice there?” 

“I don’t know. I’d rather work with you and December in the field more often than just spend hours in a stuffy office stealing data.” 

“Ah, but I’m sure it’s safer than the missions we do…” August suddenly went tense and pale. He ran a hand through the thick of December’s hair. “Missions are dangerous, and while you still have to complete them frequently I suppose it’s less than me and December now… which is good…”

“It’s not. I’d rather be there with you.” 

August chewed his lip, looking nervous and full of sorrow. It was a sudden, sharp contrast to the August of moments ago. “I wish December could work with you too.” 

“...If you wanted that wouldn’t you want to come too?” He asked uncertainly. It was safer. He knew that, and wished August would wish to be safe too. 

“Sure.” He replied simply. 

“I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you and December.. I worry something will happen while I’m away and I’d know I wasn’t there to help you... I couldn’t take that.” April muttered truthfully.

“I’m sorry... You’re precious to me, and I’ll always do my best to keep you both safe.” August swore. 

Self sacrificial. Something sickly in April's mind told him that August didn’t care about himself at all. He’d protect him and December with all his beautiful promises. April couldn’t help but wonder what lengths August would go through to save himself… 

“I love you August... I don’t want to lose this precious family…” April could feel that choked tightness from holding back tears. He didn’t like it at all.

“I love you both too. I won’t let anything happen to us.” August assured, a sad smile on his face. 

April lent his head against August’s shoulder and squeezed his hand. He could feel the warmth that radiated from him. The weight of sleepy December on his legs. They were alive. 

Precious. Fleeting.

—

“I saw you on TV last night” Chikage had said, a familiar friendly spark in the periwinkle of his eyes.

“I didn’t know you had joined a theatre troupe?” He asked with a curious smile.

It had been one of their quiet moments in time. Friendly conversations in elevators and next to photocopiers. 

Itaru didn’t have many people to consider friends, but he’d wondered if Chikage had considered him one, or just another acquaintance over coffee. Nonetheless, Itaru felt strangely comfortable in their brief encounters with him around the office. A pleasant stability of camaraderie in the moments they spent together, regardless of what Chikage felt.

It was that way since he moved there, a worker from a foreign country who had learned the ropes quickly. He’d charmed many people, but Itaru had noticed he was the only person Chikage really gravitated toward. 

Strange, how he felt a trust in Chikage’s little smiles across the office.

He wasn’t sure what had happened to him. 

It had been a regular day in Winter when he changed. Early December like any other, when Chikage appeared like he’d never seen him before.

“Ah, Good morning Senpai!” Itaru had greeted him before taking note of his appearance. 

His pale skin. The dark circles under his eyes.

His eyes were usually so bright, vibrant with their sly glint. Now they were dull. Glazed and dead like the bottom of the ocean.

It had been the beginning of the death of a friend. How Chikage never looked him in the eyes again. He looked pale, and grew to flinch if Itaru got too close to him. He was curt and short in greetings and goodbyes, and looked rather meek compared to old times.

It stung. He missed their odd bantering and friendly conversations about nothing. The seamlessness between them that had been lost.

The office didn’t notice. Chikage would still pretend. Still smile and bow, a more talented actor than Itaru would ever be.

His smiles aren’t genuine anymore, like all gentle fondness was stolen from him, and replaced with smiles that felt like daggers.

He seemed to fool everyone with his facade of being fine. Only Itaru seemed to notice the dramatic change in his behaviours. His quick lying game that Itaru hated, but had no power to intervene with.

_What happened to you?_


End file.
